Most Important Terminal Server Registry Keys and Values

Posted by Benny Tritsch on December 10, 2003 – updated on May 31, 2005

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General Settings

One of the central HKLM root hive areas can be found under SYSTEM \CurrentControlSet and SYSTEM \ControlSet00n. The numbered ControlSet001 and ControlSet002 subkeys contain control information that is needed to start and keep Windows Server running. One of these two numbered subkeys is the original; the other is the backup copy. On startup, the system determines which one of the keys is the original and saves the result under HKLM \SYSTEM \Select. The last successful set of control information is saved in HKLM \ SYSTEM \CurrentControlSet. The three sets of control information are for the most part identical, but only one is valid and used by the system.

The HKLM \SYSTEM \CurrentControlSet \Control \Terminal Server hive allows you to configure general settings, just as you can under Terminal Services configuration or Group Policies.

 

Value Names	Data Types, Default Value	Description
DeleteTempDirsOnExit	DWORD: 0x1	Deletes temporary session directories when the user logs off. Possible values are 0 or 1. Change this value using the Delete temporary directories on exit server setting in Terminal Services configuration.
fAllowToGetHelp	DWORD: 0x0	Disables or enables remote assistance on this computer. Possible values are 0 or 1. Usually, this setting is established in the Remote tab of the Control Panel's system properties.
fDenyTSConnections	DWORD: 0x0	Allows or denies connecting to Terminal Services. Possible values are 0 or 1.
FirstCountMsgQ PeeksSleepBadApp	DWORD: 0xF	Default value of the compatibility flag for applications
fSingleSessionPerUser	DWORD: 0x1	Each user can be limited to one session to save server resources or facilitate session recovery. Possible values are 0 or 1. Change this value using the Restrict each user to one session server setting in Terminal Services configuration.
fWritableTSCCPermTab	DWORD: 0x1	Allows write-protection of the Permissions tab in the Terminal Services configuration RDP connection settings. Possible values are 0 or 1.
IAT	DWORD: 0x1	???
IdleWinStationPoolCount	DWORD: 0x0	Sessions started in the background are assigned to new users. The default value for this setting is 0. For application servers, you can select different values, which might reduce login times for new user sessions. Windows Server 2003 and later ignores this setting.
Modems With Bad DSR	MULTI_SZ	List of modems that have a problem with Data Set Ready (DSR).
MsgQBadAppSleep TimeInMillisec	DWORD: 0x1	Default value of the compatibility flag for applications
NthCountMsgQ PeeksSleepBadApp	DWORD: 0x5	Default value of the compatibility flag for applications
PerSessionTempDir	DWORD: 0x1	Each user session receives its own temporary directory. Possible values for this setting are 0 or 1. Change this value using the Use per session directory server setting in Terminal Services configuration.
ProductVersion	SZ: 5.2	Version number of the terminal server
SessionDirectoryActive	DWORD: 0x0	Indicates whether the session directory for this server is active. Possible values for this setting are 0 or 1.
SessionDirectoryCLSID	SZ	Class ID, needed by the session directory.
SessionDirectoryExCLSID	SZ	Another class ID that the session directory needs.
SessionDirectoryExpose ServerIP	DWORD: 0x1	Indicates whether the server's IP address is exposed with the activated session directory. Possible values for this setting are 0 or 1.
TSAdvertise	DWORD: 0x1	Indicates whether the server advertises itself as the terminal server. Possible values are 0 or 1.
TSAppCompat	DWORD: 0x1	Indicates whether the system is running in application compatibility mode. Possible values are 0 or 1.
TSEnabled	DWORD: 0x1	Indicates whether basic Terminal Services functions are enabled. Possible values are 0 or 1.
TSUserEnabled	DWORD: 0x0	Indicates whether users can log on to the terminal server. Possible values are 0 or 1.

 

In addition to individual values, this path holds several subkeys that, in turn, contain keys and values for Terminal Services configuration.

 

Subkeys	Description
AddIns	Configuration of the redirection of clipboard and client ports (redirector).
AuthorizedApplications	Option to configure a list of applications that can be run on the terminal server.
ClusterSettings	Configuration of the session directory.
DefaultUserConfiguration	All default Terminal Services configuration settings, for example, automatic logon data, time limits, initial program, etc.
Dos	Adjusts DOS shell concerning query of keyboard events.
KeyboardTypeMapping	Adjusts keyboard driver for unusual shortcuts or special hardware.
SysProcs	A list of system programs that run in the system context (0) or in the user context (1).
Utilities	Adjusts the specific commands for the prompt: Change logon, Change port, Change user, Change winsta, Query appserver, Query process, Query session, Query user, Query winsta, Reset session, and Reset winsta.
VIDEO	Device paths for graphics redirection.
Wds	Configuration of TCP/IP log settings, for example delays, buffer attributes, port number, service name, and so on.
WinStations	Specific configuration for each type of connection and the console session.

 

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